Tunku Scholarships

The following report from the Star on the Tunku Scholarships.

Tunku scholarships increased to 50

PETALING JAYA: Fifty scholarships will be available under the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation this year.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said there would be 50 recipients this year, 30 more than last year.

They would be selected from first-year undergraduates in public and private universities who had obtained excellent results.

“Students must have finished their first year with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.5,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Other criteria include having excellent Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), Matriculation or Foundation results, leadership skills and being active in co-curricular activities.

When Mustapa took over as foundation chairman last year, it was decided that the help previously offered in the form of educational loans be changed to scholarships instead, and that the recipients be known as Tunku scholars.

The first batch of Tunku scholars, from various races, are excellent students as well as active in co-curricular activities, he added.

He said the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation was set up in 1966 in honour of the country’s first prime minister.

Applications for the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation scholarships are now open, and must be supported by the institution’s deputy vice-chancellor (Academic).

Students can download application forms from www.yayasantar.org.my.

The closing date is July 15.

I checked out the website and found the following additional information:

SYARAT-SYARAT PERMOHONAN
(a) Syarat Asas
(i) Warganegara Malaysia.
(ii) Umur tidak melebihi 25 tahun pada tarikh tutup permohonan.
(iii) Baru tamat Tahun Pertama Ijazah Pertama di mana-mana Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Tempatan.

(b) Syarat Kelayakan Akademik dan Ko-kurikulum
(i) Memperoleh keputusan cemerlang dalam SPM / STPM / Matrikulasi/ Asas.
(ii) Kepujian dalam Bahasa Malaysia dan Bahasa Inggeris di peringkat SPM.
(iii) Memperolehi PNGK / CGPA minimum 3.50 dalam peperiksaan Tahun Satu (1),program Ijazah Sarjana Muda.
(iv) Memiliki kualiti kepimpinan dan penyertaan yang cemerlang/ aktif dalam ko-kurikulum.

(c) Syarat Tambahan
(i) Penerima BIASISWA TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN diperlukan berkhidmat dalam negara sekurang-kurangnya lima (5) tahun selepas tamat pengajian yang ditaja.

KADAR BIASISWA
Kadar Biasiswa adalah seperti berikut:
(i) Yuran Pengajian mengikut kadar yuran sebenar yang dituntut oleh IPT.
(ii) Elaun Sara Hidup bernilai RM1,000 sebulan.
(iii) Elaun Buku bernilai RM300 / semester.
(iv) Elaun-elaun berkaitan pengajian seperti tesis, elaun latihan amal / kertas projek, elaun alat perkakas (sekali setahun).
(v) Tambang penerbangan kelas ekonomi (2 hala) sekali setahun (untuk pelajar Semenanjung yang belajar di Sabah & Sarawak dan pelajar Sabah & Sarawak yang belajar di Semenanjung).

I think the terms of this scholarship are quite generous. RM1000 for a student is more than sufficient for living expenses especially in a non-urban campus. And the flight tickets is a nice bonus.

I thought it was interesting that the 'bond' requirement is that one needs to work in Malaysia for at least 5 years after one graduates. While this is a good idea in theory, in practice, it is almost impossible to enforce in a cost effective manner.

Deadline is July 15th, so 1st year students, get your VC's approval and apply quickly.